Syncona Limited iOnctura presents clinical data update

RNS Number : 6962P

Syncona Limited

11 December 2024

 

11 December 2024

 

Syncona Limited

 

iOnctura presents new data and provides clinical update in uveal melanoma

 

Syncona Ltd, ("Syncona") a leading life science investor focused on creating, building and scaling global leaders in life science, today notes that its portfolio company iOnctura announced a clinical update and the presentation of new data from the completed Phase I DIONE-01 study of their lead asset, roginolisib, at the European Society for Medical Oncology Immuno-Oncology (ESMO-IO), taking place in Geneva, Switzerland, from 11-13 December 2024.

 

Roginolisib is a first-in-class allosteric (indirect) modulator of PI3K delta (PI3Kδ), which has potential application across a variety of solid tumour and haematological cancers. Its unique chemical structure and binding mechanism makes it highly specific for PI3Kδ, giving it an advantageous pharmacology and safety profile compared to previous generations of PI3Kδ inhibitors. Roginolisib is being investigated in solid and haematological cancers including uveal melanoma (UM), a rare cancer of the eye.

 

Key highlights from the data presentation include:

·      The Phase I DIONE-01 study met its primary objective of determining the safety of the anticipated optimal biologically effective dose (BED) of roginolisib

·      Roginolisib was shown to be well tolerated over long periods of treatment (up to 4.5 years) and was well tolerated at the recommended Phase II dose (RP2D) of 80mg

·      Median overall survival (OS) was 16 months for the 29 patients with UM that were treated with roginolisib. These patients previously received a median of two prior therapies. This exceeds the median of seven months OS observed in historical controls in patients receiving immunotherapies as second line treatment[1]

·      Median progression free survival (PFS) was five months for patients treated with roginolisib versus less than three months for historical controls[1]

 

Following these positive results iOnctura is initiating its OCULE-01 Phase II study of roginolisib in UM. A data readout from this trial is expected in CY2026 and is a key value inflection point for iOnctura[2].

 

Roel Bulthuis, Managing Partner and Head of Investments of Syncona Investment Management Limited and Board Director of iOnctura, said: "Data from the Phase I DIONE-01 study validate roginolisib's differentiated profile as an allosteric PI3Kδ inhibitor. These early positive results suggests that iOnctura could potentially become the first company to develop a clinically meaningful medicine targeting the PI3K cancer pathway, which no company has been able to target with sufficient precision to date. We look forward to initial data from the Phase II OCULE-01 study, as well as the expansion of roginolisib's utility to other indications, including primary myelofibrosis and non-small cell lung cancer."

 

iOnctura's announcement is copied below and can be accessed at the company's website at https://www.ionctura.com/.

 

[ENDS]

 

Enquiries

 

Syncona Ltd

 

Natalie Garland-Collins / Fergus Witt

Tel: [phone]

 

FTI Consulting

 

Ben Atwell / Tim Stamper

Tel: [phone]

 

About Syncona

 

Syncona's purpose is to invest to extend and enhance human life. We do this by creating, building and scaling companies to deliver transformational treatments to patients in areas of high unmet need.

We aim to build and maintain a diversified portfolio of 20-25 globally leading life science businesses, across development stage, modality and therapeutic area, for the benefit of all our stakeholders. We focus on developing treatments that deliver patient impact by working in close partnership with world-class academic founders and experienced management teams. Our balance sheet underpins our strategy, enabling us to take a long-term view as we look to improve the lives of patients with no or poor treatment options, build sustainable life science companies and deliver strong risk-adjusted returns to shareholders.

Syncona Limited seeks to achieve returns over the long term. Investors should seek to ensure they understand the risks and opportunities of an investment in Syncona Limited, including the information in our published documentation, before investing.

 

About Key Value Inflection Points

A key value inflection point is a material de-risking event for a portfolio company that has the potential to drive significant NAV growth for Syncona, for example by increasing the possibility of a realisation event, such as M&A. These milestones can also enable companies to access significant capital including through financings and IPOs, which may take place at valuation uplifts and underpin progression to a subsequent key value inflection point which has the potential to drive greater value. M&A or capital access is unlikely to occur immediately following a key value inflection point.

 

 

iOnctura reaches new clinical milestones in uveal melanoma

 

·   Completed Phase I DIONE-01 study demonstrates clinical activity and long-term safety of roginolisib, a unique allosteric modulator of PI3Kδ

·   Patients with uveal melanoma showed a doubling of overall survival compared to historical controls

·   Site activation ongoing for randomized Phase II OCULE-01 study in uveal melanoma

 

Geneva, Switzerland and Amsterdam, The Netherlands, 11 Dec 2024 - iOnctura, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company combating neglected and hard-to-treat cancers, today provides a clinical update on its lead asset, roginolisib. Results from the completed Phase I DIONE-01 study are due to be presented at the European Society for Medical Oncology Immuno-Oncology (ESMO-IO) annual congress tomorrow, 12 December at 12:30 CET (presentation 164P).

Allosteric modulator of PI3Kδ, roginolisib, has a unique chemical structure and binding mechanism which makes it highly specific for PI3Kδ, giving it an advantageous pharmacology profile and an unprecedented safety profile compared to previous generations of PI3Kδ inhibitors.

Roginolisib is being investigated in solid and hematological malignancies including uveal melanoma (UM), a rare cancer of the eye. Eye melanoma is a rapidly growing market which is projected to be worth USD 9.56B by 2032^[3].

The two-part Phase I study DIONE-01, firstly evaluated continuous daily dosing of roginolisib [at 10, 20, 40 and 80 mg] in 24 patients with pretreated solid tumors and follicular lymphoma (FL), and secondly evaluated a dose confirmation cohort in 20 UM patients.

Results from DIONE-01 show:

·      Study met its primary objective to determine the safety of the anticipated optimal biologically effective dose (BED): Roginolisib was well tolerated at the recommended Phase II dose (RP2D) of 80mg, with <7% Grade 3/4 treatment-emergent adverse events (TEAEs) considered to be related to roginolisib. TEAEs did not result in immune-related toxicity, or dose-limiting toxicity, in either solid tumor or hematological patients. In contrast to prior PI3Kδ inhibitors, roginolisib dosing did not require dose modifications.

·      Roginolisib is well tolerated over long periods of treatment, up to 4.5 years.

·      Median overall survival (OS) was 16 months for the 29 patients with UM treated with roginolisib, who had previously received a median of two prior therapies. This exceeds the median OS of 7 months observed in historical controls in patients receiving immunotherapies as second line treatment¹.

·      Median progression free survival (PFS) was 5 months for patients treated with roginolisib versus less than 3 months for historical controls1.

·      Clinical findings validate the mechanism of action of roginolisib: roginolisib reduces immune-suppressive immune cells and chemokines, UM-related tumor clones (ctDNA) and PI3K-related signaling indicating a rebalancing of the immune system.

Catherine Pickering, Chief Executive Officer of iOnctura, said: "The Phase I DIONE-01 data highlight the benefits of roginolisib for patients with uveal melanoma and advanced cancers. Roginolisib's unique allosteric binding mechanism has translated into a differentiated beneficial clinical profile, including a doubling of overall survival compared to historical controls in uveal melanoma. We are delighted to announce these data support progression of roginolisib into a randomized Phase II study."

Professor Michele Maio, University of Siena and Principal Investigator of the roginolisib studies, added: "Being able to continue to investigate roginolisib in a randomized Phase II study is a positive step to understand more about this already well tolerated molecule. Roginolisib has given prolonged disease stabilization to patients with uveal melanoma who have exhausted all other therapeutic options. So far, these patients have maintained a good quality of life without major limitations. I'm looking forward to seeing what the Phase II trial delivers over the coming months."

Activation of trial sites for the Phase II OCULE-01 study (NCT06717126) investigating roginolisib versus investigator's choice in the second-line+ treatment of uveal melanoma is ongoing.

                                                                                                ENDS

For more information contact:

 

iOnctura

Catherine Pickering

Chief Executive Officer

T: [phone]

E: [e-mail]

 

Optimum Strategic Communications

Mary Clark / Vici Rabbetts / Elena Bates

T: [phone]

E: [e-mail]

 

 

About iOnctura

iOnctura is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company combating neglected and hard-to-treat cancers with precision oral small molecules that target cancers in novel ways. The bold new treatments extend lives and improve healthspans, changing the outlook for patients and their families. Two therapeutic candidates have progressed into mid-stage clinical development: roginolisib is the first allosteric modulator of PI3Kδ; and cambritaxestat is the only autotaxin inhibitor in clinical development to treat cancer. iOnctura BV is headquartered in Amsterdam, The Netherlands with its wholly owned Swiss subsidiary, iOnctura SA, located in Geneva, Switzerland. iOnctura is backed by specialist institutional investors including Syncona, EIC Fund, M Ventures, Inkef Capital, VI Partners and Schroders Capital.

 

About roginolisib

Roginolisib is an allosteric modulator of PI3Kδ with a unique chemical structure and binding mode. The PI3K signaling pathway is one of the most commonly dysregulated pathways in cancer and the precise targeting of the PI3Kδ isoform delivers substantial anti-tumor effects with a low-toxicity profile. Clinical data have demonstrated roginolisib's excellent safety profile and sustained clinical activity in uveal melanoma (UM), a rare eye cancer with few available treatments. Site activation for the randomized Phase II OCULE-01 study in uveal melanoma is ongoing, and Phase II studies in other cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer and myelofibrosis, are in planning.

 

 

 

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[1] Rantala et al., Melanoma Res., 2019 Dec 29(6):561-568

[2] See definition of key value inflection points in the note section

[3] Emergen Research, Jan 2024

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